17 hours
by Inquisitor265
Summary: Final Chapter put up!
1. Preparing for the inevitable

17 Hours

Note: I do not own Warhammer 40,000 so don't sue me please.

**Prelude-On Imperial ship "Emperor's Hammer" (0 hundred hours Sol Time):**

Senior Officer Leon Mclane surveyed the drop site with a mix of interest and apprehension. He knew that the planet was under assault by tyranids at that very moment and that he had to make his decision fast, before he was spotted. His orders were quite clear. He and his force (consisting of: 30 storm troopers, which divided into 3 squads each of which were lead by one of his most respected officers, his 2 Leman Russ conquerors, his force of 40 standard imperial guards men, all of whom were from the Steel Legion which had fought on Armageddon, and finally his trusted second in command who would be leading his platoon of Steel Legion troops into battle, Lt. Seluns.) to reinforce a small facility located near a mountain range in the more savanna like part of the planet. This facility was very important to repelling the invasion. This facility Mclane had learned was one of the main missile defense stations, he knew this facility had to be defended. He hesitated for only a second before ordering the drop.

**Hour one-Surface of Valnes III near defense facility (1 hundred hours Sol Time): **

As the troops and 2 conquerors unloaded from the drop ships, Mclane looked around. He just could vaguely see the facility, protected by mountains on 3 sides. It took half of an hour to reach the point, and when the force finally arrived they were greeted by the commander in charge of the facility, David Lounsairen.

"Very good to see you sir." He said. "Our crew of 12 is waiting inside we have sleeping quarters for all your troops and hot meals for all." Lounsairen beamed. Mclane smiled and stepped inside the heavily reinforced door. As soon as he came in he heard: "Sir we have a large Tyranid force closing on our position fast, we need our defenses ready of the double!" Mclane swore and turned around. The facility was protected on 3 sides by mountains and on its one open more vulnerable side lay a lake approximately 20ft. deep, a massive wall made out of reinforced concrete, with a large gate in the center which was connection to a bridge crossing the span of the lake. Mclane stationed his 2 conquerors slightly farther back near the two flanks of the facility, facing the lake ready to storm up when needed to reinforce the gate. His 4 squads of Steel Legion troops were placed on the large castle-like walls surrounding facility. His 3 storm trooper squads were standing by on more level parts of the two mountains on either flank, prepared to pick off the tryanids one by one from their high spot. Mclane and Lt. Seluns were stationed inside of the main facility ready to give orders and redirect fire using a number of radios, and hidden surveillance cameras. They were ready, and would fight to the last man.


	2. The advance

Note I don't own Warhammer so please don't sue me. Also I have an Imperial Guard army and a Daemon Hunters army for Warhammer 40,000 and I'm a big fan of both armies.  
  
Hour two-Surface of Valnes III defense facility (2 hundred hours Sol Time):  
  
Mclane watched as the bridge that stretched the length of the lake was dismantled from his high viewpoint on top of the defense facility. All was quite very dark. Time on Valnes III and Sol time were almost on the exact same time. Both had sunrises at relatively the same time and sunsets and close to the same time. Mclane knew his family was back on Terra probably still asleep. He shook his head to clear his mind and turned the amplification on his night vision goggles up. He cued in all units with his comm. They were all in position and ready to fight except for the 5 or so guardsmen finishing up the dismantling of the bridge. He zoomed in on the plains ahead of him and could clearly see the tyranids marching up towards them. He knew that they would not risk attacking from either flank. He ordered all night vision goggles to be switched on and lights to be turned off. His command squad stood next to him. Commissar Leon was there, 5 steel legionnaires by the names of: Lusar, Alex, Jal, Namon, and Yelna were also there (Yelna and Namon made up a heavy bolter team were as Lusar, Alex, and Jal all were armed with standard issue lasguns). Commissar Leon muttered a prayer under his breath. The rest just stood there in silence. Suddenly a young guardsman ran up the stairs to where the 6 of them stood. "Sir," he said, "the bridge has been successfully dismantled!" "Good." Mclane replied. "What's your name sun?" Mclane asked. "Private Jerran Williams sir, I am part of a missile launcher crew in delta squad. My spotter is Private Lurel Stalgen." "Good private. What's that you're wearing around your neck?" Mclane suddenly barked. "Nothing!' Jerran said trying to stuff a glowing crystal necklace out of site. Mclane grabbed his hand and held the necklace to the light of the moon. It was pure crystal and on the end of the chain was the symbol of the Inquisition. Mclane stared. "Were did you get this, son?" He asked. "It...it was my dad's. He gave it to me when I was 6. Said that he always wanted me to join the Inquisition and serve the emperor all my life." Jerran looked at the floor. "Well my boy, one day you may very well be, now get back to your post." Mclane ordered. Just then there was an explosion from the far side of the lake. A biovore had begun shooting. "Now private!" Mclane yelled. Jerran ran off back to his post. "Open up on the beasts at 200 yards!" Mclane yelled over the comm. Mclane saw a brood of termagants sprint up to the far side of the lake and begin shooting and trying to wade forward. Just then a barrage of lasguns rounds, missiles, heavy bolter bolts, hellguns, and a lone lascannon came flying at the leading tyranids. Then Mclane saw gargoyles coming in fast straight for them. About a hundred of the monstrosities flew in tight formation about a hundred feet above the ground. "Now!" Mclane yelled over the comm. at the storm troopers. Suddenly a huge net was flung up in front of the flying gargoyles. All but a few repelled off it and crashed into the water bellow. Then the net was released and the remaining gargoyles came tumbling down to their death in the lake a hundred feet below. There were cheers from the guardsmen on the walls.  
  
As more and more tyranids came to replace the ones that had already fallen Mclane noticed something. No carnifexes, or hive tyrants had been spotted yet. But Mclane also noticed that the lake was beginning to harden. Mclane suddenly realized what was happening. The blood of the gaunts was solidifying the lake, making way for the rest of the army to cross. At that moment three carnifexes lumbered forward and began barraging the wall with fire. "Concentrate fir on the carnifexes! Take them down!" Mclane yelled. His troops complied and several rockets grenades and other explosives rocketed their way. A firefight soon erupted. 


	3. A pitched fire fight begins

Note I don't own Warhammer so please don't sue me.  
  
Hour three-Surface of Valnes III defense facility (3 hundred hours Sol Time):  
  
Mclane quickly ran back up the stairs to his command squad. He was out of breath when he reached the top of the stairs and proceeded onto the dark landing. He walked up to the very edge and magnified his optical eyepiece to full magnification. He brushed his hair off his forehead and stared at the incoming tyranids. He saw that the 3 carnifexes had been killed and that the gaunts were being driven back by his defenses. He then switched the view to a digital map that showed the battlefield with small icons representing squads with numbers and statistics over them. So far only 2 Imperial Guardsmen had been lost, both in Beta squad. Suddenly a venom cannon shot hit the wall and exploded. For a second Mclane thought that the entire of Beta squad had been killed, but then he saw that the whole squad was still standing and firing. He wiped his forehead.  
  
Up on the front line Private Lewis Syler was firing of shots from his lasgun like crazy. His squad, (squad gamma) was on the far right hand edge of the wall. Currently they were being pinned down by fire from a brood of termagants. He popped his head out for a second to see a flesh borer beetle shoot by his head and to fire of three lasgun shots. Suddenly a shot arced up from one of the Leman Russ conquerors exploded were the brood of gaunts had been. Lewis pocked his head out from cover again to see that the brood had been eliminated. Suddenly Sgt. Bailer yelled: "Target those genestealers making a run for the gate!" Lewis complied and opened fire on the things. He managed to kill to and soon squad Delta realized what was going on and fired on the genestealers from the other side. Soon the whole brood was gone save 2 who ran back wards away from the gate and were hit by a few stray lasgun shots. Then another brood of termagants charged up the ranks of hormagants, tyranid warriors, and genestealers to stop about 50 yards in front of the wall. They sprayed the area with fleshborer fire and Lewis heard a soldier scream from another part of the wall. Lewis sprayed away at the things but there were just too many. Lewis knew that they would be over whelmed soon. 


	4. A new threat emerges

I don't own Warhammer so please don't sue me.  
  
Hour four-Surface of Valnes III defense facility (4 hundred hours, Sol Time)  
  
Off in the distance, Sgt. Lyrus of storm trooper squad "Omega," could see two towering dark figures moving up slowly. He zoomed in with his targeting array and saw that the creatures were hive tyrants. Slowly moving forward. All had huge scything talons, and venom cannons. Sgt. Lyrus winced. He knew how powerful those creatures were and he radioed in to Mclane. "Sir," he said, "we have three hive tyrants moving in on our position. They are approximately 1km. away, over." "Very well, Sgt. I will relay this tactical data to our troops up front. How are you holding up out there?" Mclane asked. "Good sir, we have one wounded but it's only a minor but from a borer beetle." "Good, carry on. There is a group of raveners trying to make it up the mountain to your position. I advise you take them out now before it's to late. Also be advised that it will be very difficult to obtain more supplies so use what you have wisely. Mclane, over and out." Sgt. Lyrus ran to his squad mates who were crouching behind rocks, firing concentrated rounds from their hell guns. One storm trooper, armed with a grenade launcher fired a frag grenade at a squad of termagants down range. "Good shoot Regi!" Yelled another squad mate to the grenadier. "We have a group of raveners moving in on our position from the pace of the mountain, open up of them!" Lyrus yelled. His squad complied and soon the raveners were reduced to only two scattered creatures quickly fleeing the fight. "Good job men, know open up on those genestealers!" Lyrus ordered. His squad began firing at the genestealers and soon they were dead. But there were plenty more targets at which to fire and Lyrus and his squad had soon dispatched a brood a hormagants. Down bellow on the wall Lyrus saw a soldier writhe as though in immense pain and then lay still. Lyrus knew what had hit the poor man. It was a shot from a devourer, which had sent a group of deadly parasitic worms at him that had devoured the insides of the helpless soldier. Lyrus had seen many soldiers die in his time but there was something about the death of that soldier that enraged him beyond his control. He spotted the offender, a roaring Tyranid warrior. Lyrus fired 15 shots from his hell pistol at the fowl beast, bringing it to the ground it's blood coating the rock which it had been standing on.  
  
Lt. Seluns ducked down low. He crawled over to one of the soldiers in the 5- man squad. It was a soldier named James firing through a slit in the wall. Seluns taped him on the shoulder. James looked around and Seluns gestured for him to follow. Seluns burst up and ran along the wall to the rest of his squad James close behind. Selunds dived to avoid a needle fired from a venom cannon wielded by a Tryanid Warrior. "You alright sir?" Asked one of his squad mates. "I'm fine." He replied getting up and crouching. "There's a brood of Tyranid warriors that's pinning delta squad down lets get them!" Seluns said. "They are over on our right, on my command we pop up and open up on them." "Aye sir!" His squad replied." "Alright, one, two, three, now!" Seluns screamed. He leaped up and started shooting at the warriors. The rest of his squad followed suite, his missile launcher team blasting them with two fragmentation rockets before the warriors could even turn to look. The Tyranids were blown off their feet by all the fire and quickly went down. Then Seluns saw something that chilled his blood. A brood of hormagants was scaling the wall. Seluns yelled to the squad (squad "Alpha") about the threat. They Quickly crouched and aimed their weapons at the top of the wall ready to blast the aliens when they got over it. As the hormagants got to the top they were blown off the wall by the sheer amount of fire.  
  
Mclane saw the hormagants swarming over the wall and quickly relayed the message to all of his squads. Mclane knew that if the hormagants were left unchecked they would kill all of his guardsmen on the wall. But Mclane wasn't worried he was quite sure his guardsmen could handle the threat. 


	5. The wall is breached

I don't own Warhammer so please don't sue me.

**Hour five-Surface of Valnes III defense facility (5 hundred hours, Sol Time)**

Mclane ran down the stairs quickly and looked at the computer screen leaning over the young operator's shoulder.

"What are those corporal?" Mclane asked pointing at an icon on the screen moving at about 300kph 500 kilometers away from the facility they were holding. The corporal touched the icon on the screen (a red viper).

"Sir, that's a detachments of the Shrieking Hawks space marine legion. What you're looking at is one of their Thunderhawk gun ships flying patrol." The corporal said.

"Hail them." Mclane Said.

"Very well sir." The corporal replied. The corporal pressed a button and then pushed the icon on the screen.

"Done sir." A face came on screen one of a space marine in black armor with short hair, blue eyes, and a square face.

"I send my regards Captain Mclane, how my I assist you, sir?" The marine pilot said calmly and very politely.

"As you may be able to see from your altitude we are pinned down inside defense facility coordinates 500.912 by 3122.664 by a massive tyranid assault can you assist us?" Mclane asked hurriedly.

"How is air space above your position?"

"Good, but ground fire is very heavy, we can give you updates if needed."

"Very well I have 10 space marines ready to fight, and we also have about 18 tons of weapons and ammunition. I'll let you talk to Sgt. Velen in charge of the squad." The pilot disappeared and after about 30 seconds a tall marine with brown eyes, and dark hair.

"How are you holding up down there?" Velen asked.

"Fairly good we've lost only about 4 imperial guardsm-"Mclane was but off mid word when a huge explosion shook the bunker slightly. He saw that a shot from a venom cannon had exploded right in the midst of squad delta and only 2 members remained alive. Even worse a huge hole had been blown in the wall leaving the right flank very vulnerable.

"Never mind that we've lost 12 guardsmen and the right section of the wall is blown in two. We need back up ASAP." Mclane yelled.

"Very well, sir." Velen said.

"Also if you try to land you'll be shot down I recommend that you guys parachute out from about 3000 feet. Also we need those supplies you have would you drop some of that for us to use."

"Your wish is my command, sir. Our ETA to you is 1 hour at top speed." The screen went blank. Mclane ran back up to the top to see that Storm Trooper squad "Zeta" was already down there setting up sand bags and firing of shots making sure that nothing got through. He wiped his brow but he inside knew that they couldn't hold out for much long without support. He estimated if they were to continue at this rate in 17 hours everyone there would be dead and the facility overrun. But his troops were fighting hard, and he hoped he was wrong.


	6. Bad to worse

I don't own Warhammer so please don't sue me.

Hour six-Surface of Valnes III defense facility (6 hundred hours, Sol Time)

Private Jerran William ducked out of the way for the 3rd time in 30 seconds. After his squad was hit by a venom cannon needle, killing everyone in the squad except for him and private Urman Laire (who had been killed 2 minutes later by a black borer beetle) Jerran had been firing his rocket launcher at the approaching termagants and then ducking and reloading. He was in an odd position, his head lying back on a piece of the cement wall with his feet pressed against an other angular shaped piece of the wall with his rocket launcher over his chest so that he could easily reload and could fire with only sticking a small part of his body into the open. His last rocket was loaded now and he would pop up in a second and blow the remaining termagants to bits. He popped up and fired. He heard shrieks as the gaunts were hit with metal. Now to get more ammunition. He could just see his loader's pack of rockets sticking between two pieces of concrete. He climbed down the wall with his launcher over his shoulder and just managed to grab the pack. Then he slipped, not expecting the weight of the pack and fell to the bottom of the wall 10 feet bellow. A minute later he woke up to find a storm trooper bending over him. The trooper helped him up. He nodded at the stormtrooper who asked through his mask: "You okay? You fell a long ways." Jerran nodded and grabbed his rocket launcher. "What's happening?" He asked. Before the storm trooper could answer a hormagaunt darted through the gap in the wall and dogging the blasts from the hell guns tackled, him. He wrestled with the thing holding its claws back. Jerran dropped his rocket launcher, took out his heavy-duty knife and gored the thing straight through it's thick carapace and killed it. In it's thrashing it cut the storm trooper's neck killing him. Jerran re-sheathed his knife and grabbed his rocket launcher. He ran to the collapsed part of the wall and hid behind a large piece of concrete. He loaded his launcher, popped-up and came face to face with a 7-foot tall genestealer. Jerran leapt 3 feet backwards. He fired. The rocket went straight through the creatures mid section and kept going right into a pack of looming tyranid warriors blasting holes in 3 of the monster's carapaces killing two. Jerran loaded another rocket and it was then when an unseen genestealer tackled him. Jerran's rocket launcher went shooting out of his hand. He screamed as it cut him across his chest easily piercing his flak armor and gouging a deep cut in his chest. Jerran kicked it in the face with his heavy boot and he heard a crack as its neck snapped. The genestealer celled on the ground, dead. Jerran crouched and ran for his rocket launcher. He hunkered down and waited for the right opportunity to send the monsters that we storming the wall straight to the abyss.

Private Lewis Syler heard the scream of the soldier next to his to see his fellow tumble backwards of the wall after being hit by a small black beetle in the chest. He stuck his head up just a small bit and viewed the battlefield. He saw around 400 gaunts of various shapes and sizes forming the 1st 4 ranks of the advance. Farther back scattered throughout smaller creatures were lumbering carnifexes. Farther back yet were the odd towering snake like zonathropes. Lewis saw a group of reavers speeding up the ranks toward them. Suddenly strange net like object hurdled by him and latched on to two soldiers next to him. He dived and caught them before they fell. The net was sticky and wet. He cut the soldiers free with his knife and hurled the net over the wall toward the tyranids. The two soldiers got back on their feet without a word and began firing their lasguns. Lewis saw that other guardsmen were wrestling themselves out of similar nets and he saw at least 3 soldiers go tumbling of the wall. Lewis poked his head up again and saw that the reavers had moved even farther up and were storming toward the broken section of the wall. He pulled a grenade from his belt and hurled it toward them. He heard shrieks as the creature we hurled in all directions by the blast. Lewis threw another grenade and saw more chaos. _Good. _Syler thought. _Give them what they give._ Lewis suddenly saw a sight that chilled him to the bone. 5 ghostly zoanthropes were moving up to the front line. He heard more screams as men were thrown like rag dolls by the powerful psychic powers of the strange creature. 4 men next to him were blasted off his feet and sent into the rocks on the side of the cliff. The Conqueror tanks fired 2 shots into the frontline and killed 3 of the zoanthropes. A rocket suddenly wised by the gaunts now storming up to the walls and blew off a zoanthrope's thick plate on its large head. It reeled back and fell down. Private Syler aimed down the sight of his rile and gave the approaching gaunts a taste of human anger.

Mclane clicked his eyepiece magnification to the maximum and saw what he feared. 5 harridians were flying toward them. For now they were about a mile away but at 30 miles an your they would be there in minutes. He cued in the storm stromtroopers and ran down the stairs to the bunker's computer terminal. He informed the crew of the station and told them to relay this to the incoming space marines and get ready for increased fighting. He then talked to the leaders of all of the squads on the wall. He hoped that the space marines got there before it was too late.


	7. Blessing and a Curse

I don't own Warhammer so please don't sue me.

Hour seven-Surface of Valnes III defense facility (7 hundred hours, Sol Time)

As the sun crested the horizon a beacon of hope came in the form of a black Thunder-hawk gunship flying over the mountains. The sun's light was almost blinding, and the gaunts cringed back, as someone does when you shine a flashlight in their eyes from two feet away. This gave the guards-men courage and they bravely fought on.

Private Lewis Syler looked up and saw the gunship swooping low over the mountains. He turned away and readied his rifle. He saw the gaunts cringing back and decided to conserve ammo. They seemed duller and less frightening when the whites of their eyes showed clearly. Klane Addams, the squad's sergeant barked an order. He looked up and in the west he saw 5 harridians closing in on them, their large wings beating the air aside as they sped toward their pray. Lewis Syler froze and looked back at the Thunder-Hawk. It was almost to them and he could barely see its two heavy bolters fixed to its nose begin sweeping the ground. The gun-ship opened up on the gaunts blowing them to shreds. Its battle cannon began shooting as it hovered over the battlefield almost a mile above them. Then he saw 10 figures leap out and open parachutes. They began firing on the incoming gaunts, their bolters striking the creatures directly with in-human accuracy. Then out of now where a harridian swooping down rammed the hovering gun-ship. The ship spun around and began to fall. Seconds later the pilot regained control, and fired two hellstrike missiles that blew the 1st harridian apart. The ship regained altitude and fired another volley at the 4 other harridians. It killed two of the retched beasts and fired its lascannons all the while its bolters were probing the ground picking off targets. Then out of know where a 6th unseen harridian swooped down and sprayed its acidic toxins all over the cockpit. The ship spiraled down, bolters still firing. The ship slammed into the solidified lake and made a deafening noise. When the dust cleared fires burned the lake and tyranids screamed as they were dissolved. Guardsmen opened up on the harridians and the combined power of 100s of lasgun shots brought the creatures down, not before one of them sprayed Lewis' squad slightly burning him and killing 4 of his fellows in arms. He screamed in hatred of the horrid creatures that came toward him. He fired his weapon until the magazine was empty, and then crouched down. He grabbed a grenade set the timer and threw it. He heard the explosion and looked at the advancing gaunts. They had been temporarily stopped and his squad was firing like mad trying to thin their numbers. Lewis reloaded his weapon, and joined his squad in their efforts.

Private Jerran Williams was surprised at how little tyranids were getting to the wall. The squads on the wall must have been going crazy. He looked up and saw that an endless flow of termagants and hormagants were being mowed down. It was almost difficult to see the grass in some areas. He scanned the area looking for a target. He had saw the Thunder-Hawk crash and now saw the once magnificent ship broken and shattered on the ground. Jerran saw that a group of raviners where slithering side-to-side dodging weapons fire, their weapons spitting out death. A small worm like creature went zooming by his head hitting a stormtroopers behind the small barricade they had constructed. Jerran re-loaded his rocket launcher putting a krak missile in the tube and setting the fragmentation missile next to him in easy reach. He sighted down the rocket launcher.

"Eat this you snake!" He yelled. The creature looked him in the face. He blew it away.

Mclane ran out with his full guard to greet the space marines who had just landed and were now helping out the stormtroopers in squad zeta. He cued in their sergeant with his comm. link. The marine turned and lumbered over to him.

"Glad you could make it to the party." Said Mclane.

"We are glad to fight under your service." Replied the marine in a low voice.

Suddenly Mclane saw a small figure hiding in the ruins of the wall leap up and fire a rocket from a long rocket launcher at the incoming raviners. The marine turned and saw the figure duck down again. Mclane saw that the figure had been concealed so well that it was almost impossible to see him from either side. Sgt. Velen barked an order to and ran to the guardsmen. Mclane saw the figure deftly fire off another shoot and turn. Velen was in a crouch now and fired his bolter. He signaled the man to follow him. They exchanged a quick word and the guardsmen leaped up and sprinted back. Velen stayed for only a second before standing up and running back to the rest of his squad. Mclane now recognized the guardsmen as the young man who had reported back to him earlier. The boy was cut and bruised. He still wore his crystal necklace. The boy was saluted Mclane who saluted back.

"Request permission to continue fighting sir!" the boy said.

Mclane was surprised.

"Are you hurt?" Mclane asked.

"Sir no sir."

Mclane thought for a second. He looked up and saw that squad gamma was pinned down.

"Go and assist squad gamma, the emperor knows they can use it."

"Sir yes sir!" The boy yelled and sprinted to up the back stairs to the wall and instantly started fighting with the squad. Mclane raised an eyebrow. _How interesting._ He thought. _How interesting._


	8. An forboding scene unfolds

I don't own Warhammer so please don't sue me.

Hour eight-Surface of Valnes III defense facility (8 hundred hours, Sol Time)

Lewis looked down and tried to find a suitable target. It was hard for there were so many gaunts swarming over the fallen bodies of their fellows. They seemed to care not that so many of their own had fallen, as though they were driven by a single goal, a single purpose. Lewis aimed his weapon and picked off an incoming genestealer. He was low on ammo, and knew that he had to conserve it. His earlier shoot like crazy times were over. He could see that ammunition crates were floating or slowly sinking into the "water" of the lake. _If I could just reach those crates, we might have a chance_. He thought. But hundreds of gaunts stood in the way of those crates. He fired at the beasts trying to storm through the gate. Then with out warning several raviners burst through the pack only to meet their doom in the form of several high explosive shells, Lewis looked around and saw that the space marines had landed and were helping the stormtroopers in squad zeta hold of the storm attempting to get through the walls. Lewis noticed that the fight was dying down. He looked back and saw that the gaunts were being driven back. Something was wrong, very wrong.

Mclane noticed the sudden lull in fighting as well. He scanned the battlefield from atop the bunker. _Why would they pull back now? Their force was so much larger and they had already shattered the wall. Though many of them had perished that left no reason. The tyranids had always continued pressing forward and never sopped. They fought till they had won or were forced back. _He thought. He looked behind him and to the sides of the facility. _Nothing_.

"Look!" Shouted a soldier on the wall. Mclane magnified his eyepiece and saw that far in the distance huge towering creatures. They here plated and spiky, on their back were 8 large smoke stacks continually pumping out green smoke. What ever they were they could be good. The monsters towered, at 50 feet at the shoulders.

Lewis sighted down the rifle and fired 4 shots at a tyranid warrior. The gaunts were falling back and the warrior where moving up and covering their fall back. Lewis heard screams on his left. He looked over and saw that squad alpha had been decimated. 4 members were still firing their weapons. Lewis looked back and saw that the tyranid warriors on his side where turning around and following the gaunts.

"Fire on them before they get out of range!" Lewis screamed. A rocket and lasguns answered his call. Several gaunts and warriors fell. Lewis was puzzled for a minute. Hadn't their rocket team been killed? He looked over and saw that the only survivor from squad delta was there reloading his rocket launcher. _He has courage. _Lewis thought. Lewis handed him a las pistol seeing that he the soldier had lost his. The boy nodded to him and took the weapon with out a word holstering it without looking down.


	9. Furry & Relief

I don't own Warhammer so please don't sue me.

Hour nine-Surface of Valnes III defense facility (9 hundred hours, Sol Time)

As the eighth hour of fighting came to close, the tyranids were in full retreat. Mclane ran to the wall and ordered the troops off the wall. The space marines had the task of repairing part of the damaged wall. Whatever was out there couldn't be good. He moved the conquerors into positions were all but their turrets and sponsons could be hit. He then sent the wounded into the bunker to be checked out by the facility's medic. The space marines took positions on the wall, and his guardsmen set up a second barricade in front of the conquerors. Once everything was ready, they sat and waited, to face the full furry of the swarm.

Hour ten-Surface of Valnes III defense facility (10 hundred hours, Sol Time)

The huge and towering creatures began coming closer and closer, with them thousands of gaunts came into view little specks, sprinting ahead of the huge monsters behind them.

"How is this possible? The original force was half this size!" Mclane asked. He zoomed in with his optical eyepiece. The monsters had several large pulsating sacks on their flanks oozing out puss. Suddenly one bust and several new gaunts fell to the ground, covered in a mucus like ooze.

"Sgt Velen, what the are those things?" Mclane asked over the intercom.

"I've never seen them before, sir, I will try to hold the gaunts off so that you can get a clear shot with the Leman Russes," Velen Replied.

"Very well." Mclane said back.

After 15 minutes the first gaunts reached the lake only to be mowed down by bolter fire. As more and more charged, the Stormtroopers on the ridges opened up on them. The conquerors began shooting and guardsmen's' rockets and grenades flew through the air. The gaunts fell one after the other, within 30 seconds the first 5 rows had been blasted into oblivion. The large monsters were getting closer.

"Do not fire on the monsters until they get within 200 ft. of the walls!" Mclane told the tank crew. Mclane saw several guardsmen try to run for the bunkers when they saw the huge monstrosities getting closer, only to be held by others and pushed back to the bunkers. The conquerors began shooting shells bouncing off the thick hide of the monsters. Rockets whizzed into the air exploding right in front of the creatures.

"Aim for the head!" Mclane yelled. As he spoke the conquerors fired again hitting the one of the creature's face. It stumbled back, crushing several gaunts. More rockets zoomed at the creatures, this time with more effectiveness. But still many of the creatures lumbered on. More shots fired into the air hitting the creatures' faces, but still the creatures would not stop.

"Concentrate all your fire on the center creature!" Mclane yelled. 5 seconds later the creature toppled over, its head completely gone. Within minutes the rest of the monsters were taken down. Cheers rose but they were short lived as in the distance another contact was spotted. It was twice as tall as the beasts they had just killed. A bio-titan.

Hour Eleven-Surface of Valnes III defense facility (11 hundred hours, Sol Time)

"Fall back! Fall back to the bunker! All forces pull back!" Mclane yelled over the com. They couldn't fight the titan. One-by-one the forces on the wall sprinted down the steps to the bunker. When only the tanks and the Space marines and the Stormtroopers were left outside the door was sealed. Outside the battle raged on. The constant shots from the conquerors and the repeated daka-daka-daka of the space marines' bolters were heard through the thick concrete walls of the bunker. Mclane hoped reinforcements arrived soon.

Hour Seventeen-Surface of Valnes III defense facility (17 hundred hours, Sol time)

Six hours after falling back to the bunker the last Space Marine's bolter went silent. Not long after the two tanks blasted into flames and hundreds of pieces flew into the air. The Stormtroopers kept shooting, but already claws scraping at the bunker were clearly heard. The scratching and gnawing became louder and louder until almost nothing could be heard. Soldier aimed their weapons in all directions, but suddenly, the scratching and slashing stopped. After several long minutes several men edged slowly toward the door, their guns raised. They opened the door slowly, light pouring into the bunker. Outside hundreds of gaunts lay dead on the ground. The guardsmen saw hundreds of space marines standing inside the courtyard. The Stromtroopers ran down the hill, were they were picked up by a Thunderhawk, which sped off. More guardsmen stepped outside; gaunt's crunched underneath their heavy boots. Victory, all the guardsmen knew it. Shots flew into the air and cheers and yells rang through the air. Mclane looked out over the plains, relief showing on his face.

The End


End file.
